McLean County Times

Illinois State University's women's soccer team continued its strong start in conference play, securing a 2-0 victory over Southern Illinois on Sunday at Adelaide Street Field. This marks the team's first conference win of the season and extends their unbeaten streak to five games.

The Redbirds' current five-game unbeaten run is their longest since 2019, when they went nine matches without a loss. Head coach Raleigh DeRose has now overseen four shutouts during this period, which is also a record for her tenure.

Sunday's match saw Illinois State take an early lead in the 16th minute when sophomore Danica Key scored by chipping the Saluki goalkeeper. Southern Illinois responded with increased offensive pressure before halftime, outshooting the Redbirds 4-3 and forcing two saves from redshirt sophomore Madi Valenti.

After halftime, Illinois State maintained its attacking approach, outshooting Southern Illinois 4-1 in the first 12 minutes of the second half. In the 77th minute, sophomore Kaya Durkee set up sophomore Rylie Monohan for the Redbirds' second goal following a free kick. Valenti preserved the clean sheet with two late saves.

With this result, Illinois State improves to a 4-1-1 record all-time against Southern Illinois and remains undefeated (3-0-0) at home against them.

Looking ahead, Illinois State will host Evansville at Adelaide Street Field on October 5. The match is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be available on ESPN+.

For more information about tickets, merchandise, and updates on Redbird athletics, fans can visit GoRedbirds.com or use the official Illinois State Redbirds App.